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determining the objects of their study. When to these are added the Stearns and Binney collections and those of the Fish Commission it will be evident that, for the study of the marine fauna of our shores, we have a collection which can never be rivalled and only awaits suitable administration. 

An extremely interesting collection from the south and west shores of Florida has been contributed by Mr. Henry Hemphill to the National Museum. It contains about two hundred species, nearly all quite small and many of them new to science or to our coasts. Mr. Hemphill is at present further exploring the same region. A list of this collection has appeared in the Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. for 1883.

The less noteworthy accessions appear in the list hereto appended.

Our registers show an addition of about 3000 entries during 1883, but this has no relation to the accessions; as it is impossible with the present force to administer upon a one hundredth part of the accessions per annum, until the arrears of